Alternatives for Olaplex Ingredient (Hair Repair)

Question

Are there any alternative ingredients that can be used instead of or have similar performance to "Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate" from Olaplex for hair repair?

Answer 1

Alternatives to Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate (Olaplex)

Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, the key ingredient in Olaplex, is known for its unique ability to repair broken disulfide bonds within the hair structure. This specific chemical action is quite unique.

While there isn't a direct chemical substitute that performs the exact same bond repair mechanism, several ingredients can offer similar performance in terms of improving the feel, softness, and manageability of damaged hair, especially hair that has been chemically treated.

Some ingredients that function as effective hair conditioners and can help improve the appearance and feel of damaged hair include:

Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone: Available in different forms such as Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone (Light), Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone (Heavy), and Micro-Bis XL™ (Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone Microemulsion). These are highly effective silicones that coat the hair shaft, providing significant softness, smoothness, and improved combability. They are widely used in conditioners and treatments for damaged hair.
Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine: This ingredient acts as a hair conditioner and helps provide softness to hair.
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine: Also functions as a hair conditioner, contributing to hair softness in various formulations.

These alternative ingredients primarily work by conditioning the hair surface and improving its physical properties, rather than chemically repairing internal bonds like Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. However, they are excellent choices for formulating products aimed at softening, smoothing, and improving the manageability of damaged hair.

Answer 2

Update (2026-05-31): Current catalog information confirms that if the goal is the closest match to the Olaplex-type mechanism, choose HairPLEX™ (Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) rather than a surface-conditioning substitute. It is listed as a hair bond improver for use during or after bleaching, coloring, perming, or straightening; the catalog usage range is 5–30%, with about 20–25% recommended for conditioner/treatment formats, and it should remain on hair at least 15 minutes for full performance.

The previously suggested alternatives—Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone in Light/Heavy forms, Micro-Bis XL™, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, and Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine—are still better understood as conditioning/softening and combability-improving ingredients. They can improve feel and manageability of damaged hair, but should not be described as direct replacements for Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate bond repair.